View source for Astronomy:JSC Moon Base

In 1984, with the [[Engineering:Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle]] in service, a team based at the [[Organization:Johnson Space Center|Johnson Space Center]] made a feasibility study for NASA's return to the [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]]. It anticipated later studies in using NASA's planned infrastructure{{spaced ndash}}the Shuttle, a Shuttle-derived heavy lift vehicle, a space station, and an orbital transfer vehicle{{spaced ndash}}to build a permanent 18-crew Moon base sometime between 2005 and 2015.

==Design details==
The [[Engineering:Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle]] was to have transported the empty 21,000-kilogram lunar lander and payload to the space station, where they would rendezvous with the 100&nbsp;ton propellant module.

The first objective was the creation of small semipermanently manned "camp" on the lunar surface in 2005-2006. 

NASA was to have launched a lunar orbiting space station in 2008-2009 to support the creation of a permanently manned moonbase by 2009-2010. 

This operational surface base would have contained an expanded mining facility, lunar materials processing pilot plants and a lunar agriculture research laboratory; pilot oxygen production and experimental mining facilities would have been landed previously.

===Layout===
The lunar surface facility would have grown to an 18-crew "advanced base" in 2013-14, consisting of five habitation modules, a geochemical laboratory, chemical/biological lab, geochemical/petrology lab, a particle accelerator, a radio telescope, lunar oxygen, ceramics and metallurgy plants, two shops, three power units (90% lunar-materials derived), one earthmover/crane and three trailers/mobility units. The ultimate goal would be a self-sustaining moonbase by 2017-18. 

===Associated vehicles and steps===
The following were the names of vehicles or mission steps associated with the JSC Moon Base:
* Mapper and L-2 Relay Satellite. Development: 1992-1996. First launch: 1996.
* Surface Explorer Rover. Development: 1995-1999. First launch: 1999.
* Expendable Lander. Development: 1995-1999. First launch: 1999. 
* Network and Regolith Science. Development: 2002-2004. 
* Manned Capsule / OTV. Development: 1999-2003. First launch: 2003. 
* Expendable Ascent Stage. Development: 1999-2003. First launch: 2003. 
* Lunar Orbital Facilities. Development: 2004-2008. First launch: 2008-2009. 
* Camp, temporary manned. Development: 2000-2004. First launch: 2005-2006.  
* Base, permanent manned. Development: 2004-2009. First launch: 2009-2010. 
* Advanced Base. Development: 2008-2013. First launch: 2013-2014. 
* Self-Sustaining Base. Development: 2012-2016. First launch: 2017-2018.

==See also==
* [[Astronomy:Lunex Project|Lunex Project]]

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204111830/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/jsce1984.htm JSC Moon Base at Astronautix.com]

{{Moon colonization}}

[[Category:Exploration of the Moon]]



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